


A Pirate's Deal

by musikfurfreiheit



Series: The Pirate Universe [3]
Category: Delain (Band), Nightwish, Within Temptation (Band)
Genre: Gen, Pirates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-08 09:46:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5492720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musikfurfreiheit/pseuds/musikfurfreiheit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prequel for Treasure Island<br/>What's going on between Floor and Sharon?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Loud curses followed Floor as she ran through the streets. The money in her pockets felt heavy but oh so good and she didn’t let it slow her down. She had to get away before she got caught. As the cursing got louder, Floor knew she couldn’t outrun the men she’d just robbed. Without thinking she ran into the first bar she saw, an action she regretted almost immediately.

A few months earlier she’d sworn to never come near a pirate again, now she was surrounded by them. The smell coming from the men, the rum that made the floor sticky, the typical shouts, these men were definitely pirates. She had no choice now, going outside again was no option. She had to hide in here. Trying not to draw any attention and avoiding touching anyone, she made her way towards the bar. It had been a while since she’d last felt so uncomfortable, but she could clearly remember it.

The captain had pretended not to know what was going on under his nose, but in truth he just hadn’t cared. He never joined the pirates, but it wouldn’t surprise Floor if he fantasized about it. The crew was given silent permission to use the few females on board in any way they wanted and they were more than happy to. Being tall didn’t make it easy for her to hide, so a few times she’d ended up being the victim, but usually she just went through the torture of hearing the screams of the other women. Sometimes those moments still haunted her in her sleep.

Floor knew it was irrational to hate all pirates. There had been a few men that had never touched her, or any other girl for that matter. One had even helped her escape from the ship she’d lived on for 83 days, but that didn’t make up for the actions of the others. Back then, joining a group of pirates had seemed better than being homeless, but now she knew better. She was still stealing and fighting to survive, and sleeping outside was better than being abused. And at least here she could  drink booze.

The multitude of bottles was smiling at her, waiting for her to decide what flavor she was going to pick. Rum, whiskey, or regular beer? Or the brunette at the other side of the bar? Floor had seen her before, almost always accompanied by the red haired woman that was standing at her side. She didn’t care for the redhead, her smile looked fake and her tattoos unprofessional. The brunette was a whole other story. Her smile was beautiful and so was her cleavage. She probably was a more successful prostitute than the redhead.  
Alcohol to combat the cold and forget everything for a while and black out, or a night with fun and a sexy woman? She didn’t have enough money for both, but it wasn’t a hard choice for Floor. Confidently she stepped towards the women, her eyes set on the brunette.

‘What’s your name?’ Floor asked as she placed the bag of money on the bar.

The woman looked away from her friend and eyed her for a second. With a face of disgust she grabbed the money and pushed it back towards Floor.

‘That’s none of your business, I’m only available for captains. People who own a ship, in case you didn’t know.’

The redhead laughed and irritated Floor with the high pitch of her voice. The brunette was no longer paying attention to her. Angrily, Floor grabbed the money and turned around again, her mind already set on buying all the drink she could effort. Before she could yell at the man behind the bar however, loud shouting sounded from the middle of the café.

‘I am the King of Thirty-And-One!’ A man yelled as he jumped up from his chair. Another man walked away with empty hands while the happy man emptied his beer, smashing down the glass once he was done. ‘Anyone else who wants to play against the King?!’

‘Me!’ Floor yelled back.

She knew it wasn’t a smart decision. She wasn’t good at gambling and she could use the money for other purposes, but the money wasn’t hers anyway. The man grinned at her as she placed the bag on the table and sat down in front of him.

‘A girl? Aren’t you afraid of the King?’

‘I don’t see why,’ Floor answered. ‘Aren’t you afraid of me?’

‘HA! The King, afraid? I’m so afraid of you that I’m willing to bring my ship into the game!’

‘Alright, bring it on.’

The man showed his rotting teeth as he grabbed the cards. He gave both of them three cards before looking at Floor again. She picked up the cards and looked at them. 8, 7 and 3.

‘I’ll have it.’

The man grinned and handed her another card. She signed for him to give her another card when a 2 appeared, and the surrounding people went quiet when it turned out to be a 10. They all were convinced she’d lost.

‘I’ll have it.’

Everyone held their breath as the man gave her another card. Floor knew that with this kind of games, if you didn’t win before the dealer got their turn, you lost. She had no choice – she needed another card, even if it was just to make sure she’d lost. The room gasped aloud as the man turned the card face-up. 1, the card was a 1, bringing her total to 31 and making her the irrefutable winner of this game. The man stared at her in disbelief. Suddenly he didn’t seem drunk anymore and he and Floor were both very aware of what had just happened. Suddenly, she was the owner of a ship.

Without a single word, Floor got up and grabbed the bag of money she’d betted in the game. With a huge grin on her face, she walked to the bar and ordered a big tankard of rum before she going over to the prostitutes. She tapped the shoulder of the brunette and placed the bag of money in front of her again.

‘You’re coming with me,’ Floor said. ‘Because I own a ship, in case you didn’t know. What’s your name?’

The woman looked her up and down again before grabbing the money and making it disappear in her pocket. She clearly wasn’t happy with the situation, but money was money. And Floor was a captain.

‘Sharon, but you can call me whatever you want.’


	2. Chapter 2

Floor had almost forgotten how amazing it felt to sleep in an actual bed; a soft mattress, warm sheets, a real pillow and not just a folded jacket that she’s just stolen. It was better on the ship, a hammock was more comfortable than the cold streets, but nothing could beat a real bed. Even though the sheets smelled like an old male pirate.

Floor smiled when she realized the sheets now had a different scent. Sharon’s perfume still lingered around the bed and reminded Floor of what had happened that night. At first Sharon had been professional. There was no passion between them and Floor hadn’t enjoyed it, until she’d decided to take matters into her own hands. She had pushed the brunette down on the bed in the captain’s room -now her room- and got a loud gasp when she attacked Sharon’s neck. It was obvious that she’d found her weak spot, and that moment had been the beginning of a night filled with passion.

Sharon’s skin felt softer than anything Floor had touched in a long time. She loved the tenderness and grace of a woman’s body. The sweet natural scent, a body filled with both grace and power, rough actions that were gentle at the same time. It was not making love, it was just sex. But it was sex with a woman. Sharon’s hands on her skin had felt like the touch of a very sexy angel. At several points during the night, the room had turned into heaven before she’d crashed down in the brunette’s arms. Her body had been on fire, Sharon’s had felt even warmer. It was only when the sun reclaimed her right to warm the earth that they’d fallen asleep.

After inhaling the scent of passion and sex one last time, Floor got up. The bed was empty now, the only thing Sharon had left behind were memories and a hint of her perfume. In the corner of the room Floor discovered one of the former captains’ outfits and without a second thought she put it on. It was a relief to feel clean clothes on her naked skin. She didn’t plan on wearing these clothes a lot, she didn’t even plan on being an actual captain, but for now they had to do. This was not a pirate’s ship anymore. This boat was just her home now and in her home she could wear whatever she wanted.

Floor was still rolling up the sleeves to her elbows as she entered the kitchen and was met by a surprise. Sharon sat down at the table with a piece of bread in her hand. Her clothes were lying next to her, she herself was also wearing a captains outfit. The brunette stopped dead in her tracks as she saw the other woman and looked at her with a risen eyebrow. Sharon mirrored her expression.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘Isn’t that obvious? I’m eating.’

‘Aren’t you supposed to be gone already?’

‘I wanted to leave,’ Sharon answered before swallowing the bread she’d been chewing on. ‘but when I was on my way out I noticed that _someone_ tore my dress. And besides, it’s a nice ship. I’m staying.’

‘What do you mean, you’re staying?’

‘I’ve had it with this town. I’m going wherever you’re going and I’ll get off in the next town.’

‘I’m not going anywhere,’ Floor said as she sat down in front of Sharon and also took a piece of bread. ‘I’m just going to live on this ship, that’s all.’

‘Oh come on, the closest town isn’t that far, at least take me there. I’ll give you your money back – and besides, I’m always available for the captain.’

The wink that followed her words tickled Floor’s memories again. She could almost feel Sharon’s mouth on hers again, the soft hands tangled in her hair as Floor kissed her throat She would like to have another night with her, but actually sailing with this boat was not something she was looking forward to.

‘What about your friend?’

‘Anneke can survive without me, especially since she can now take over my clients.’

‘You really thought this trough, didn’t you?’

‘Just like everything else I do,’ Sharon answered. ‘Are we going to sail or not?’

‘I guess we are,’ Floor mumbled as she got up again and left the kitchen.

Floor had spent enough time on a ship to know how everything worked, but there was one thing she’d forgotten about: the first two weeks on sea had been hell. She’d been seasick every day and now her time spent on the streets had made her lose her sea legs. It wasn’t long after the ship had left the harbor that Floor felt the sickness rising in her stomach. As soon as she recognized the feeling she locked herself in her new room and curled up in bed. Why did Sharon had to be so beautiful she couldn’t say no to her?

A knock sounded on a door. Since there was only one other person on the ship it had to be Sharon, but Floor hoped she would go away if she ignored the other woman. She was wrong. Silently the brunette opened the door and entered as she noticed Floor on the bed.

‘Are you seasick?’

‘Go away,’ Floor mumbled.

‘You shouldn’t sleep here,’ Sharon said as she sat down on the bed. ‘Try a hammock, I promise you’ll feel better soon. Don’t worry about the ship, I’ve slept with enough captains to know how this works.’

Floor mumbled something even she herself wasn’t sure of what it was supposed to sound like.  She just wanted Sharon to leave – it was her fault she was sick after all. If it wasn’t for her, they wouldn’t be on the open sea right now. The silence in the room returned as Sharon left again and Floor sighed in relief. She listened to the waves crashing against the sides of the ship, was aware of every move they made, and then felt her stomach turning around again. She hated it when she was wrong, but she hated being sick even more. Against her will she got up and dragged herself towards the deck. Maybe some fresh air would help too.

Once she reached the deck of the ship she took a deep breath and enjoyed the cold air on her face. She opened her eyes and expected to be greeted by the ocean, but the view she got was even better. Sharon was standing behind the helm and had a firm grip on the wheel. The wind was playing with her hair and Floor had to admit she looked amazing with captain’s clothes. Maybe Sharon really would make a great captain.


	3. Chapter 3

Floor was more than relieved when they reached the town. There barely had been anything on the ship to eat or drink and her stomach hadn’t adjusted to a life on sea yet. Sharon seemed to be just as happy as her to be there. It was obvious that the woman was looking forward to a new start, or a new set of men to sleep with. Whatever is was that Sharon was excited for, it woke up a flame in the woman’s eyes that Floor was just fascinated by. It had been a long time since she’d last seen a person as determined as Sharon.

The women both jumped off the ship as soon as possible. Without a word Sharon disappeared into the crowd of people on the harbor, leaving Floor to just look at her. She could see the captain clothes blending in with the other people and it wasn’t long before she was out of sight, probably never to be seen again. Floor got what she wanted from Sharon, Sharon got what she wanted from Floor. This was where their paths separated again.

‘I hope you have other people on that ship.’

Floor looked away from the direction Sharon had disappeared in as a voice sounded behind her. A man had his eyes set on her ship and seemed very interested in it. For a second she wondered if he had been even talking to her, but then he looked at her with a questioning look.

‘No, I don’t. Why?’

‘It’s a nice ship,’ The man answered. ‘If you’re going to leave it like this someone will steal it within an hour.’

That was something Floor hadn’t thought about. She didn’t want anyone else in her house, but she’d have to leave it every now and then. She would have to go into town for food, maybe find a job to earn money. She couldn’t stay on her ship for the rest of her life, but leaving it alone wasn’t an option either.

‘I can help you find a crew if you want,’the man said. ‘I know some fine pirates, might include myself.’

‘I’m not a pirate.’ The man looked at her with a risen eyebrow and Floor sighed as she realized he was looking at her clothes. ‘I won the ship with gambling and found these clothes on board. I’m not a pirate, I just own a ship.’

‘A pirate’s ship,’ the man corrected her. ‘You could be a real captain if you want, I could show you around in the pirate world.’

‘Show me around? Who are you?’

‘My name is Ruud, I used to live on the Black Feather.’

Suddenly the man had all of Floor’s interest. It was impossible to meet someone who _used to_  live on the Black Feather. It was the ship that everyone feared. It would sail right into your nightmares and scare you to the point where you didn’t dare to close your eyes ever again. Everyone knew  Blackbeard, the greatest pirate of all times. Everyone knew that he was the ancestor of Blondbeard and everyone knew Charlotte Wessels. Blondbeard had proven that the pirate blood ran through his veins. He had attacked every ship on his path and he had taught his daughter to do exactly the same. It had been two years since Blondbeard died and Charlotte took over the ship, enough time to become an even more feared pirate than her father. No one survived meeting the crew of the Black Feather. You either died or joined the crew until the day you died. What this man told her could not be true.

‘No one survives the Black Feather.’

‘Well I did,’ Ruud answered. ‘I’ve lived on that ship since I was 16. I served Blondbeard until the very last second of his life. But when Charlotte took over, everything changed. I couldn’t take it and begged her to let me go. After all, I’ve known her since she was a little girl, I watched her grow up. I saw her as family, as my little sister. I loved that girl, until she became the captain of the ship. I think she buried her heart with her father.’

‘So you left the most successful crew of pirates, but now you want to be a pirate again?’

‘With the right captain, yes.’

The right captain. For Floor the right captain meant someone who didn’t see a woman as an object of lust for men. Someone who knew mercy and whose life goal wasn’t being feared. Floor had always liked the idea of being a pirate, but now she had the chance to do it her own way. No more abuse on board, no more killing for fun. She could be the captain that she had always wished for.

‘Do you think I can be the right captain?’

‘If you let me help you, yes,’ Ruud answered. ‘I’ll help you find a crew and run your ship if you let me live on your ship. I’ve had it with this town.’

‘So have I,’ a voice spoke. Floor turned around and was surprised to see Sharon standing behind her. She hadn’t suspected to see the brunette ever again, especially not so soon. ‘This town is not my thing, let’s try another one. And who is this?’

‘This is Ruud, I just hired him to be part of my crew. It’s part of a deal.’

‘What kind of deal?’ The brunette asked.

Ruud grinned and spat in his hand before stretching it to Floor. She knew the routine and followed his example before shaking his hand.

‘A pirate’s deal.’


	4. Chapter 4

Floor already missed the peace of an empty ship. Footsteps sounded all around her, the shouts were louder than she remembered them being. It had been great to just share the ship with Sharon, she was quiet and minded her own business. They didn’t bother each other at day and kept each other warm at night. It was a deal that seemed to work for both of them and for a second she wondered why she had even hired a bunch of pirates. It was only when Sharon entered her office, a bit too happy, that she remembered why.

‘Hey, captain,’ Sharon smiled as she closed the door behind her.

Captain, that was the magic word. The one person that ruled the ship and pirates listened to. She was going to make a difference in the existence of pirates, or she would die trying to. The first change she wanted to make however was already a lot harder than expected.

‘The Crow, The Owl, The Dove, The Jolly Nightingale… What are you doing?’ Sharon asked as she looked over Floor’s shoulder.

The captain looked down at the piece of paper in front of her and was surprised  Sharon could read her handwriting. The paper was a mess with words quickly scribbled down in every corner. Some words were literally unreadable, even for Floor. Now she heard the written words out loud, she just wanted to start all over.

‘I’m trying to find a new name for this ship.’

‘And you want to name it after a bird? Why don’t you name it after me?’ Sharon joked. ‘The Sharon, with me as the figurehead. Or The Flying Dutchwoman.’

‘Can you give me one good reason why I should name my ship after you?’

‘Oh, I have two good reasons.’

Floor immediately knew what Sharon meant as she leaned closer. Her breasts were so close to Floor’s face that she could smell their natural scent. She could remember what they felt like in her hands, what the skin tasted like. Sharon was right, she had two very good reasons.

‘Captain?’

Floor pulled her eyes off Sharon’s good reasons as the door of the office opened. In her mind she was already thinking about how she could punish the man just for entering, and she made a mental note to get locks for the door. She needed at least some semblance of peace and privacy.

‘There’s a ship on our starboard, should we go for it or keep sailing ?’

‘Leave the ship alone,’ Sharon answered. ‘You’re not ready to plunder a ship yet. And you should learn to knock before you enter a room.’

‘What do you think you’re doing?’ Floor asked after the man closed the door behind him again.

‘He asked a question, I answered him.’

‘He asked the captain a question, and in case you didn’t know, that’s me. I am the one in charge here, not you.’

‘Oh come on,’ Sharon smiled. ‘You and I both know that once I take these clothes off, you’ll do anything I say.’

‘I’m serious, Sharon, this is _my_ ship. My crew, my orders!’

Floor sighed as the door of the office opened again. She was ready to start yelling at the pirate, but she was silent as the man yelled first. It was obvious that Ruud wasn’t happy with something.

‘Hey! Hey! What’s going on here? I can hear the two of you on the deck.’

‘Nothing,’ Floor answered. ‘I’m just making sure that Sharon understands she’s not the captain of this ship.’

‘Well, she would be a good captain. Don’t get me wrong, you’re doing great. But there are a few things you could learn from her.’

‘Thank you,’ Sharon smiled.

‘Anyway, make sure the two of you get things cleared up. If you keep fighting like this the ship is doomed. The crew needs clear orders. If you can’t give them that, I will take over.’

Silence filled the office when Ruud left again. For a second the two women looked at each other, then Floor focused on her paper again. One by one she crossed out the names she’d written down. Ruud was probably right, there were things Sharon was a lot better at than her. Sharon would never have so much trouble picking a name.

‘I’m sorry,’ Sharon suddenly said. ‘You’re right, it’s your ship. I have no right to boss your people around. I’ll make it up to you tonight.’

‘You don’t have to, it’s fine. I’m sorry too, I shouldn’t have yelled at you. And Ruud is right, you know? You would probably be a great captain, and you probably would already have a name for your ship.’

‘Can I give you one more piece of  advice?’ Sharon carefully asked.

‘Sure, go ahead.’

‘It’s nothing personal but, you should really consider naming the ship after me, I don’t think _The Floor_ is a great name for a ship.’

Floor laughed as she realized Sharon was right. A lot of captains named the ship after someone they loved, and sometimes after themselves, which was no option for Floor. Suddenly naming her ship _The Sharon_ even sounded like a good idea.

Once again Floor’s thoughts were interrupted by one of her pirates. At least this time the man knocked the door before he opened it.

‘Captain?’ A smile appeared on Floor’s lips as Sharon looked at her, waiting for her to answer.

‘What is it, pirate?’

‘The ship that we told you about… We did as you told us and just kept our direction, but they’re heading towards us now.’

With a frown on her face Floor followed her pirate to the deck, Sharon right behind her. A pirate handed the captain his spyglass and Floor acted as if the object was her best friend. The truth was that she’d never even touched one before, so it took her a while to spot the other ship. As soon as she saw the ship she felt her heart skipping a beat. She lowered the spyglass.

‘Get Ruud.’

‘Why? What’s going on?’ Sharon asked.

‘It’s the Black Feather, and it’s coming straight towards us.’


	5. Chapter 5

Floor was honestly more scared than she’d ever been. The ship that was sailing towards them was bigger than her own, the captain more feared than she would ever be. Ruud was standing next to her, but would he be able to save them? He was their best chance. After all, he was the only person that had survived the ship. These could easily be the last moments of her life, of the lives of everyone on board. Floor was scared.

Sharon was standing right behind her, she could feel it. Floor could feel how Sharon was also scared, how she wanted to say something but didn’t dare to. As if she knew they could be her last words and so they had to be the right ones. There was one pirate on board who didn’t have to think about his words. He chronicled everything that happened on the ship, to write the true story of a pirate’s life. Floor feared it would be a rather short story.

The ship came closer and Floor could already see the pirates of the other ship. They were lined up behind the cannons, ready to attack. Among the men was a single woman, who just stood and watched – Floor knew she had to be Charlotte. Charlotte Wessels, the woman who would probably end her life and not even remember it. Floor knew the captain of the Black Feather was a young woman, but she was still surprised when she saw Charlotte. The wind played with a few strands of red hair that came from underneath her hat. Her face was covered with freckles, the color of her hair matched the fire in her eyes. People said she had the focused look of her father, something Floor couldn’t confirm. She had never met Blondbeard and she was not going to survive his daughter.

 

It surprised Floor that the hostile crew didn’t attack. They just stood still, glanced at their captain every once in a while, and waited. The ship came closer until it eventually was within speaking distance. Floor didn’t understand what was happening, and the other captain wasn’t willing to explain. The redhead only had eye for one pirate and completely ignored the others.

‘I see you found a new captain, Ruud.’

‘I did, and I’m glad we’re just talking right now and not fighting. We want a deal.’

Charlotte looked at him with a frown, an action that Floor mirrored. A deal? What was he talking about? She’d just told Ruud the Black Feather was coming their way, she hadn’t said anything about a deal.

‘Come on, you know your father did it too,’ Ruud said. ‘I’m sure you can too, especially for your father’s first mate.’

‘You’re really using my father as a bargaining chip a lot,’ Charlotte sighed before she looked at Floor. ‘Are you the captain? Do I have permission to enter the ship?’

Floor was completely surprised and didn’t know what to say. Was this really the most feared pirate alive? A young woman that nicely asked for permission? She tried to sound as confident as possible when she answered Charlotte, but she could hear herself failing.

The pirates of the Black Feather left their spots at the cannons and seemed to lose interest in the other ship. Charlotte made her way onto the ship and went straight towards the captain’s office, followed by Ruud, Floor and Sharon. The last one had no reason to be inside, but Floor didn’t say anything about it. Any possible support was welcome. Floor could see how the redhead almost headed towards the big chair behind the desk, but eventually sat down on the other side. With a smile Floor sat down in her chair.

‘What kind of deal do you have in mind?’

‘Gold,’ Ruud immediately answered before Floor had the chance to say anything. ‘We pay you, you leave us alone. Benefits both of us.’

‘It’s good to see there are still pirates like you,’ Charlotte smiled. ‘You’re sticking to your deal, still serving your former captain even though you’ve found a new one. I guess my father was lucky with you. It’s too bad that you love that annoying guitar of yours more than you love fighting. Alright, I’m willing to do it for you. What do you say, captain? Do we have a deal?’

Floor glanced at Sharon, who slightly nodded. She wasn’t sure if she should trust a pirate like Charlotte, but Sharon was willing to give it a try. It was obvious that Sharon had more knowledge of human nature than her. Floor had no other choice than to trust her. She still had doubts when she spat in her hand and offered it to the other captain, but once they shook hands, the deal was sealed.

 

Floor was surprised when everyone on board was still alive by the time they reached land again. No disease had attacked the ship and neither had a single pirate. Charlotte and her crew had just left after the deal was sealed. They sailed towards their next victim and Floor knew the next ship wouldn’t be as lucky as they had been. She knew she would have to start plundering to keep her part of the deal, but those were worries for later. Right now Floor only cared about the woman in front of her.

Sharon was trying on some of the clothes that had been left on the ship. She needed clothes if she wanted to start a new life, and Floor was willing to help her with that. She wanted to help her as much as she could, protect her and keep her safe from the men that could hire her. Sharon had helped her so much in the last few days, it was the least she could do in return.

‘Stay.’

‘Hmm, what?’ Sharon asked as she turned around, leaving the top button of the shirt loose.

‘I want you to stay, on the ship. You have done so much here, you’ve practically helped me run this ship. I want to do something in return, offer you the chance to start a new life. Right here, on this ship. The name will be Sharon and I want you to be the captain.’

‘Wait, what are you talking about? This is your ship, you’re the captain.’

‘I can’t run this ship on my own.’ Floor said. ‘You can, you’re so much better than me. You deserve to be the captain of this ship.’

‘No way, I’m not running a pirate ship all on my own. But… we could run it together.’

‘Together? As… A team?’

‘Yes! The Sharon is not really a good name for a ship, but Flareon is. I’m sure we can make this work! I mean, if you want to?’

‘Running a ship together with an incredible woman like you until it sinks, that sounds like a deal I’m willing to make.’

‘Na-ah.’ Sharon smiled. ‘It sounds like a pirate’s deal.’


End file.
